Heating system for tank cars



y 1932- J. c. CLEAVER 1,866,544

' I HEATING SYSTEM FOR TANK CARS Filed Sept. 14. 1928 Patented July 1932 PATENT OFFICE v FOHN COURTNEY CLEAVER,OF OREGON, ILLINOIS HEATING SYSTEM non remix cans Application filed September 14, 1928. Serial No. 306,076.

The present invention relates to improvements in heating systems for tank cars, and has as one of its primary objectsthe provision of a new and improved heating system forming part of the tank of the tank car.

The invention is particularly applicable to tank cars for transporting heavy oils and tars, such as road oil, which must be heated before it can be completely and quickly drawn ofi for use. Heretofore, it has been customary to heat the interiors of these tank cars, so as to increase the fluidity of contents to the desired point, by the use of steam from an external source,such as a portable steam generator. At most locations, steam is not readily available, and the portable steam generator is usually a threshing engine. The engine is positioned alongside of the tank car, and its steam line is connected to the inlet of the heating element in the car. In customary practice, the discharge end of the heating element is not connected to the engine, but opens through a valve to the atmossteam.

phere, so that steam is blown through the element. This method of heating tank cars is inconvenient, expensive and dilatory. Thus;

these engines must be provided at the locations where the oil or tar is to be removed,and this involves the ouble and expense of arranging for the local use of such engines, and transporting them from place to place. In the use of these engines, coal is required, grates must be kept clean, and extra attendants are needed forsupplying water and coal and for firing. Extra time also is required to build up and to maintain the desired head of Another important object resides'in the provision of a heating system for tank cars -in which the heating element in the tank and s the heat generating means are connected in a closed circuit.

Other important objects of the present invention reside in the provision in a novel heatlng system for tank cars which s small and compact, which has a relatively large capacity'and is highly responsive and efiicient, which operates on liquid fuel such as oil from the car, which is inexpensive in con-- struction and inexpensive to operate, and in which the heat generator and the heating coils do not scale appreciably when steam is used as the heating medium. The contents in a tank car of the foregoing character can .be heated quickly at any desired point and time. and with a. minimum amount of trouble and expense. p p

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the acompanying drawing Figure 1 is an elevational view of the tank of a tank car embodying the feature of my invention.

Figure/2 is a plan view of the steam generator forming a part of the car.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end view of one of the units of the steam generator.

' Figure 5 is an elevational view, on a reduced scale of a modified form of the steam generator. i

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawing and will herein describe in'detail the preferred em: bodiment, but is is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the. invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring to Y the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the tank car comprises a tank 10 of stand ard construction, i. e. cylindrical in form. with a charging opening 11 at the top and with a drain pipe 12 controlled by a valve 13 opening from the bottom for removing the contents.

Disposed inside the tank 10 is a suitabl heating element, this element in the present instance comprising a coil 14 extending the substantial length of the tank. 'Theinlet' and outlet ends of the coil 14 eirtendfout through the bottom of the tank 10, and are connected to a'heat generator15.

I While in the broadest concept of the in fluid, such as steam or oil, I prefer touse a steam generator of the character disclosed in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive because of its relatively large capacity, 'responsiveness, and

compactness. The generator comprises a gair'of similar units, although it is to be unerstood that any desired number of units 7 may be provided depending on the capacity that is desired. i

' 1o Each unit of the generator 15 comprises a drum 16 which may be of any suitable shape or size, and which in the present instance isc lindrical in form. The drum 16 may be horizontal as shown in Figures 2 to 4 or may 15 be vertical as shown in Figure 5. The end walls 17 and 18 of the drum 16 are curved, the wall 17 preferably being concave and the wall 18 preferably being convex. The walls of the drum 16 may be, made of any suitable go material, such as iron, copper, bronze, or brass, and preferably are welded together at the joints. Opening through the drum 16 are a plurality of heating flues ortubes 19,

the outer ends of which are riveted and then 25 welded to the end walls 17 and 18. 'These tubes are provided almost up to the normal level of the water :in the drum 16, this level being indicated by the dotted line in Figure 3; Steam generated in the drum 16 is adapted so to pass out through a steam pipe 20 opening centrally through the end wall 18. The pipe and the free end is connected through a fitting 21 'to a suitable superheater 22. In the 85 present instance, thesuperheater 22 com- 'rises a coil disposed about the pipe 20 in an ncreasing taper to the end wall 18.

The discharge ends of the superheaters 22 are -connecte to a common steam pipe 23 which in turn is connected to the inlet of the heating coil 14. Opposite ends of the drums 16 are connectedbelowthe water level by two pipes 24 and 25. The pipe 24 is connected to a common return pipe 26 connected to the discharge of the heating coil 14. Makeup feed water may be supplied to the generator through thepipe from a feed water supply pipe 27 controlled by a valve 28. Preferably 1 an injector 29,.connected through a pipe 30 '50 to the'steam line 23 and controlled by a valve 31, is interposed between the pipe 25 and the pipe 27. Suitable water level gauges 32, one

or each unit, may be provided.

' Any suitable means for heating the geners ator'may be provided, and in the present instance I have shown two burners 33 of standard construction, one ositioned opposite to each end wall 17 to irect the products of combustion through the flues 18. Each burner 33 isadapted to be supplied with fuel through a supply pipe 34 having one branch 35 controlled by a valve'36 and connected to the tank 10, and' having another branch 37 controlled by a valve 38.- The branch pipes 37 are connected to a single pipe 39 opening asses-'14 to a fuel tank 40. Pressure may be created in the fuel tank 40 by means of a suitable air pump 41. It willbe evident that by this con- A struction, either or both of the burners 33 may as mounted on the underside of the tank 10,

the generator proper being supported by suitable brackets 42 and'the fuel tank 40 being supported by brackets 43.

The generator shown in Figure 5 is substantially the same in construction as that shown in Figures 2 to 4 with the exception that the units are disposed vertically, and suitable elbow hoods 43 are mounted on the under side. The burners are disposed horizontally, and direct the products of combustion into the open ends of the elbow hoods.

In generating the steam, the products of combustion from the burners 33 pass 'th rough the tubes 18 and 'then through the superheater coils 22. By reason of the curved headsor 20 extends outwardly from the end wall 18,"

end walls 17 and 18, no objectionable priming or pumping of the water in the drums 16 will take place. From the superheaters, the steam passes to the heating coil 14, the spent fluid from the coil being returned to the generator.

It will be evident that I have rovided a highly advantageous tank car. T e heating plant intimately incorporated in and forms part of the car. The construction of the generator and its auxiliaries is simple and relatively inexpensive. The generator has a largeheating surface and i's'highly responsive so that the desired head of steam can be built up in a short time and can be easily maintalned. Obviously this can be done re-- gardless of where the tank car 1s located.

ince the heating system comprises a. closed heating circuit, and since but a small quantity of water is used, scaling will not occur to any appreciable extent, and if desired distilled water can be usedv without undue expcns'e. Y I I-claim as my invention:

1. Aheating system for tank cars comprising, in combination with a tank, a heating element in said tank, a steam. generator mounted on said tank, said steam generator bein connected inseries in a closed circuit with said heating element to supply steam thereto and to receive spent fluid therefrom, means for heating said generator, meansfor supplying fuel from said tank to said heating means, auxiliary means for supplying fuel to said heating means, and individually connected to said drums and means for supoperable valve means for selectively conpl 1ng feed'water to sea drums.

testimony whereof, I have hereunto aftrolling said two fuel supplyingmeans.

2. A steam generator comprlsing, in comfixed m si bination, a cylindrical drum ada ted to contain water, the ends of said rum being respectively concave and convex, a plurality of heating tubes extending longitudinally through said drum and opemng through said ends, a discharge line opening from the'con vex end and extending outwardly therefrom, a superheater connected to the outer end of said discharge line, and coiled thereabout in a gradually increasing taper toward said last mentioned end, means for supplying water to said drum, and means for heating said drum.

3. A tank car comprising, in combination, a tank, 'a heating coil in said tank, a horn zontal steam enerator mounted on said tank, said generator having a superheater at one end, the steam outlet of said superheater being connected to the inlet of said heating coil, and the discharge end of said heating coil being connected to the inlet of said generator, means at the other end of said generator for heating said generator and superheater, and means for supplying fuel to said heating means.

4. A steam generator comprising, in combination, a cylindrical drum adapted to contain water, the ends of said drum being respectively concave and convex, a plurality of heating tubes extending longitudinally,

through said drum and opening through said ends, a superheater coil having a central inlet opening from said convex end and being coiled about said inlet in an increasing taper to said convex end, and heating means disposed opposite-said concave and for directing heated products of combustion through said tubes and then over said superheater coil; v l

5. A steam generator comprising, in combination, a pair of parallel cylindrical horizontal drums, each having opposed concave and convex end tube sheets, a plurality of fire tubes extending longitudinally through said drums and said sheets, said tubes in each drum being congregated in spaced relation to the upperportion of said drum and below extending centrally from each convex tube sheet, two superheater coils connected respectively to the discharge ends of said steam discharge linesand coiled about the latter with an increasing taper substantially to said convex tube sheets, a common steam dis-- charge line connected to'the discharge ends of said superhsaterg, a, common at line ature.- O N OOURTNEYYQLE 

